Friday, October 31, 2008

Socialist Youth Network - Stand up for workers rights

Info below from SYN :

The Socialist Youth Network (youth wing of the Labour Representation Committee) are calling on people to come to Westminster on Monday the 3rd November at 6pm to make sure the parliament hears the voices of workers.

MPs will be debating the Employment Bill on 4th November, including amendments to strengthen trade union rights, and New Clause 5 to improve the scope of the national minimum wage for young people.

As the economy tanks, will we let the employers victimise with wage cuts and redundancies those least likely to fight back? How many people will be made unemployed or homeless thanks to the bosses and the government?

As the financial turmoil begins to affect us all, who will bear the brunt of it?Young workers:- have worse pay and working conditions than older workers;- can legally be paid even less thanks to a lower minimum wage;- are often working in vulnerable employment and frequently are the first to be let go when the employer makes redundancies;- are less likely to a a trade union member and to know their rights at work;- are also buried under a mountain of debt if they choose to continue studying after 18.The only time the government mentions young people seems to be in connection with crime, anti-social behaviour and binge drinking or drugs. In the media, young people are always presented as a problem.